Vladimir Putin is the third registered presidential candidate

[Drummond]

There is a fuss in the West that the results of presidential elections 2018 in Russia are known. Let us see. Russians have a choice to elect between EIGHT candidates. Elect DIRECTLY, when EVERY individual voice will be counted pro or contra EACH candidates. For us elections are NOT a SHOW, but a serious political moment in the life of our country. Russians are not inclined to trust the highest state post to candidates with experience of clowns, actors or showmen. According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the President of the country besides the rest is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. You can compare yourself a career list of 2 candidates Putin and Sobchak and try to make YOUR choice for YOUR country.

Putin

- June 1991, Chairman of the Committee on External Relations of the City Hall of St. Petersburg and simultaneously - since 1994 - First Deputy Chairman of the Government of St. Petersburg.
- 1996 Deputy Manager of the President of the Russian Federation
- March 1997 Putin becomes deputy head of the Presidential Administration and the head of the Main Control Office of the President of the Russian Federation.
- May 1998 First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation,
- July 1998, the director of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, simultaneously - from March 1999 - Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
- August 1999 Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation.
- 2000-2004 and 2004-2008 - President of RF.
- 2008-2012 - Prime Minister of Russia.
- 2012-2018 - President of Russia.

Sobchak

• Since moving to Moscow, Ksenia Sobchak has been in the media spotlight constantly for one reason or another. She once made news by claiming that diamonds and jewelry worth $600 000 had been stolen from her boyfriend’s apartment.
• While still studying, she did a lingerie photo shoot for the Russian ‘FHM’ magazine. Later, she posed for the cover of the Russian ‘Playboy’ magazine in November 2006, and appeared in a scandalous photo shoot for ‘Maxim’ magazine in June 2007.
• In 2004, she made her film debut in the movie ‘Thieves and Prostitutes’, in which she played an American psychologist who gets intimate with a monk on board the Russian space station. Her popularity skyrocketed after she began hosting the infamous reality TV show ‘Dom-2’ that year, even though she left the show in 2012 as its low-brow content didn’t fit with her interest in opposition politics.
• In 2006, she launched, along with oligarch-widow Oksana Robsky, the perfume 'To Marry a Millionaire'. She also wrote a book on fashion, launched a collection of rubber boots, and hosted radio show on the Russian radio station, Silver Rain.
• In 2007, she had her own reality show on Russian MTV, ‘The Blonde in Chocolate’, which created sort of a controversy for her use of cuss words that were not beeped out properly. The camera also followed her everywhere, whether she took a bath or got drunk.
• During 2008-2010, she continued to host a number of reality shows like ‘Who does NOT want to be a millionaire?’, ‘Last Hero-6’, ‘Sweet life of a blonde’, ‘Myz-TV Awards’, and ‘Two Stars’. As an actress, she appeared as a luxury prostitute in the spoof-comedy ‘The Best Movie’, portrayed Eva Braun in ‘Hitler Kaput!’, and worked in ‘Nobody Knows About Sex 2: No Sex’, ‘Europe-Asia’ and ‘Artefact’.

Ksenia Sobchak made first foray into politics back in 2006 when she launched her own youth movement, ‘All Free’ – to teach young Russians how to be free – even though the endeavor was not successful.

• Following her 30th birthday in 2011, she decided to get involved in politics, and became inclined towards the opposition after numerous reports alleging fraud during parliament elections appeared in the media in early December.
• She subsequently joined protest rallies, campaigned against Putin’s re-election and worked as an observer during the president elections on March 4, 2012. On June 12, 2012, the apartment she shared with her then-boyfriend and leader of the People’s Freedom Party, Ilya Yashin, was raided by the Investigative Committee of Russia.
• In the following years, she gave numerous interviews talking about her sudden change of heart, but critics saw it as one of her publicity stunts, as “playing politics” was the newest trend. The fact that she launched a number of political shows during this time did not help her cause either.
• One of her first political talk shows, ‘GosDep (State Department) with Ksenia Sobchak’ was aired on MTV Russia on September 7, 2012, but was promptly cancelled after she interviewed anti-Kremlin activists. While MTV issued a statement saying their viewers were not interested in politics, she was later offered to run the show online (titled ‘GosDep-2’) by Mikhail Prokhorov, a wealthy businessman and a former presidential candidate.
• On October 18, 2017, she announced her intention to run for presidency opposite Vladimir Putin, who is almost certain to win the election. The news became a media sensation as she has been dubbed as Putin's godchild and the closeness between the two families is not a secret.
  
  The biographies of the others you can find yourself in Internet, if you are interested.
  We all remember the results of ruling Russia by so called "democrats" who are forming now the opposition to Putin. We are full of it to the very nostrils. That's enough. We have never lived so good as under Putin in Russia. That's why he has a 80% support of his policy and no doubt (IMHO) he will win.

Yes. No doubt ... Putin WILL win.

We know this. It cannot be otherwise.

Putin himself would never allow an alternative outcome ...

Balu, you claim that you've 'never lived so good as under Putin in Russia. That's why he has a 80% support of his policy ...'. Well ... I've posted before about how poor wages are in Russia, compared to the West (and yet, STILL, you persist with your propaganda ..). The fact is, Balu, that the vast majority of Americans make the average Russian citizen look impoverished when it comes to basic income. Does that testify to some 'great success story', under Putin ??

I'll tell you what I think. YES, conditions have improved with Putin, I'll give you that (.. but NOT nearly as consistently as you'd like us to believe). What you're not getting, though (and not choosing to get) is that the overall level of improvement only seems a very good one, because of the propaganda efforts made to ensure that Russians think they're doing stupendously well under his regime. Most Russians would - IF they could only realise it - be shocked at how relatively poor they are, and certainly as citizens of a world Superpower.

Prepare to ignore, or deride, the following, Balu ...

https://blogs.elenasmodels.com/en/av...ies-in-russia/

.. The current economic crisis in Russia started in the mid-2014 due to the drop in oil prices and annexation of Crimea followed by western sanctions. The value of ruble collapsed and international investors lost their trust in the Russian currency.

Russia’s reserves helped the country to avoid a default by slowing ruble’s decline. The country’s economy is too dependent on the export of raw materials. It gave lots of benefits in the past but at the same time it is Russia’s weak point as it turned out.

Certainly, the crisis and the weak ruble negatively impacted people’s real income, which started to go down in 2014. In rubles the wages continued to grow, while their actual value (if exchanged to US dollars) dropped significantly.

Thus, in 2014 Russians saw their wages to shrink by 10% as compared to 2013. The average monthly remuneration in 2013 was $847 (32,495 rubles).

In 2015 Russians earned only $558 (34,030 rubles) on average or 34% less than in the previous year.

Apart from this, inflation rates were extremely high, which reduced people’s purchasing capacity by 25-35%. On average, half of the income was spent on food.

In 2016 the inflation rates slowed down. The average monthly salary for the first half of this year equaled to around 35,000 rubles (nearly $580). In June 2016, average wages even reached 38,447 rubles (around $600).

Still, the situation is much worse than it was in 2013. Prices are higher while the real salaries are lower.

It is predicted that only in 2017 the Russian economy will start improving.

You might reflect on the fact that Putin's empire-building adventurism in annexing the Crimea region did quite a bit of damage to Russia's fiscal stability. Maybe Putin, on the back of that alone, does not deserve - ahem - 're-election', since he's put his lust for power above the more urgent, pressing, need to supply a DECENT living wage to his OWN people ... ??

Ah, but .... no doubt you'll say this is all 'Western lies', Balu ...

[Balu]

Russian propaganda from The Washington Post.

The Putin Generation

Young Russians are Vladimir Putin’s biggest fans

...Rather than dwell on Putin’s crackdown on his opponents, young Russians draw a sense of personal liberty from those freedoms they do enjoy — a mostly open Internet, an open job market and open borders. Many of them reject state TV as propaganda but nevertheless repeat its central tenet — that Russia needs Putin to stand up to U.S. aggression. And perhaps most important, these Russians seem shaped by a collective history they never knew — by fear of a return of the crisis-stricken 1990s or the stifling Soviet era. ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.18d4ce403ec3


Young Russians are Vladimir Putin’s biggest fans

[Drummond]

Balu. How about this? Let's just wait and see how ACCURATE your propaganda really is?
Everything you have presented here...IN MY OPINION....Is wasted time on your part.

If Putin doesn't win. I will apologize to you here on DP.

However....based on past experience, and history. Let's just see who is right. o

NEWS SEP 18 2016, 8:50 AM ET
Russia Elections: Three Ways Putin Gets the Results He Wants
by ALEXEY EREMENKO
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/r...-wants-n648701

Same here, Balu ! If Putin fails to win, I'll apologise, too.

... but, of course ... HE WILL ....

[Drummond]

Russian propaganda from The Washington Post.

The Putin Generation

Young Russians are Vladimir Putin’s biggest fans

...Rather than dwell on Putin’s crackdown on his opponents, young Russians draw a sense of personal liberty from those freedoms they do enjoy — a mostly open Internet, an open job market and open borders. Many of them reject state TV as propaganda but nevertheless repeat its central tenet — that Russia needs Putin to stand up to U.S. aggression. And perhaps most important, these Russians seem shaped by a collective history they never knew — by fear of a return of the crisis-stricken 1990s or the stifling Soviet era. ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.18d4ce403ec3


Young Russians are Vladimir Putin’s biggest fans

... er'm .... !!! ......

Let me see if I've got this right, Balu.

Young Russians fear a return to a Soviet era. But, they're pro-Putin.

That's baffling.

OK, then explain this - from the Moscow Times, no less .. !! >>

https://themoscowtimes.com/news/puti...esidency-60102

Russian President Vladimir Putin says his past as a KGB agent prepared him for public office during a visit to state media's news program "Vremya."

Putin appeared on state-run Channel One's "Vremya" on New Year's Day to congratulate the show on its 50-year anniversary. In a short interview, he fielded questions on the media, his role in history and his private life. He also mingled and sipped champagne with the program’s staff.

Asked whether he had adjusted his behavior since becoming president, Putin said: "As strange as it sounds, no."

Yes. I'm sure that Putin's KGB past DID prepare him for public office !! But, the youth of Russia seem blissfully unaware of Putin's own outlook ....

It'd explain the annexation of Crimea, for one thing !!

LATE EDIT ---

Oh, by the way, @Balu ... I just now spotted this, again from the Moscow Times. I look forward to your explanation !!

https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/...st-putin-60309

Headline ...

Russia's Youth Takes the Lead in Countrywide Protests Against Putin

"I'm prepared to be shot," says one protester. "Money and power, that's all that Putin wants," says another.

From the article's text ...

By the time the protests reached Moscow on Sunday afternoon, thousands of Russians across the country had already marched in support of boycotting presidential elections in March.

They marched in Vladivostok, in Russia’s Far East, and they marched in Siberia’s Irkutsk, braving subzero temperatures. They marched for fair and free elections, they said, and for an end to President Vladimir Putin’s nearly two-decade-long rule. Should he win the vote on March 18 — as is widely expected — it would extend his presidency for another six years.

So, who's giving us the ACCURATE 'truth' ? You, Balu, or the Moscow Times ?

[Drummond]

Russian propaganda from The Washington Post.

The Putin Generation

Young Russians are Vladimir Putin’s biggest fans

...Rather than dwell on Putin’s crackdown on his opponents, young Russians draw a sense of personal liberty from those freedoms they do enjoy — a mostly open Internet, an open job market and open borders. Many of them reject state TV as propaganda but nevertheless repeat its central tenet — that Russia needs Putin to stand up to U.S. aggression. And perhaps most important, these Russians seem shaped by a collective history they never knew — by fear of a return of the crisis-stricken 1990s or the stifling Soviet era. ...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.18d4ce403ec3


Young Russians are Vladimir Putin’s biggest fans

Russian propaganda from the Washington Post. H'm.

I don't automatically discount the idea.

http://www.breitbart.com/blog/2014/0...keeps-digging/

John Hinderaker of the Powerline blog took the Washington Post down, hard, on Thursday for foolishly accepting a false report from a left-wing activist group and running it as a “news” story. Hinderaker’s debunking of the article, an exercise in anti-Koch Brothers propaganda, is a thing of beauty… not least because he only needed a few minutes on the Internet to prove the central claims of the story false, namely that the Kochs are allegedly the biggest leaseholders in Canadian oil sands, and are therefore a sinister power behind the drive to build the Keystone XL pipeline.

In truth, the Koch holdings are a very distant third or fourth, at best, even though the Post cheerfully ran propaganda from its left-wing buddies that tries to scare the reader with a “graph” that makes a subsidiary of Koch Industries tower above big oil companies like Exxon and Chevron.

The Washington Post, then, seemingly isn't above running biased 'stories', ones favouring the Left wing.

[Papokarlo]

win the third, the coefficient of 1.01

[Papokarlo]

they say about Putin here, english subtitles:

[Gunny]

they say about Putin here, english subtitles:

Is there a point to be made here? Russians discussing China's politics?

What lettle message are you attempting to convey? Presidential terms of office are the internal business of each nation. I haven't noticed any one country asking what another thought of its Presidential term limits.

[Papokarlo]

Is there a point to be made here? Russians discussing China's politics?

What lettle message are you attempting to convey? Presidential terms of office are the internal business of each nation. I haven't noticed any one country asking what another thought of its Presidential term limits.

in the beginning, 3 minutes of conversation about China. Each country discusses all the countries in one country talking about China and the other in a different way.

[Papokarlo]

Is there a point to be made here? Russians discussing China's politics?

What lettle message are you attempting to convey? Presidential terms of office are the internal business of each nation. I haven't noticed any one country asking what another thought of its Presidential term limits.

this is a discussion of one country about another, not about imposing democracy (or one's point of view)
information from primary sources, without filtration)

[Papokarlo]

Besides, it will be interesting to look at the percentage of those, who will vote in the Crimea and how many votes Putin will gain. This will be another kind of referendum on the Crimea, and even a hereditary, genetic and natural idiot will understand what Crimean desires are.

most likely it will be 95-97%, even more than in Russia

[Papokarlo]

Yes. No doubt ... Putin WILL win.

We know this. It cannot be otherwise.

Putin himself would never allow an alternative outcome ...

Balu, you claim that you've 'never lived so good as under Putin in Russia. That's why he has a 80% support of his policy ...'. Well ... I've posted before about how poor wages are in Russia, compared to the West (and yet, STILL, you persist with your propaganda ..). The fact is, Balu, that the vast majority of Americans make the average Russian citizen look impoverished when it comes to basic income. Does that testify to some 'great success story', under Putin ??

I'll tell you what I think. YES, conditions have improved with Putin, I'll give you that (.. but NOT nearly as consistently as you'd like us to believe). What you're not getting, though (and not choosing to get) is that the overall level of improvement only seems a very good one, because of the propaganda efforts made to ensure that Russians think they're doing stupendously well under his regime. Most Russians would - IF they could only realise it - be shocked at how relatively poor they are, and certainly as citizens of a world Superpower.

Prepare to ignore, or deride, the following, Balu ...

https://blogs.elenasmodels.com/en/av...ies-in-russia/



You might reflect on the fact that Putin's empire-building adventurism in annexing the Crimea region did quite a bit of damage to Russia's fiscal stability. Maybe Putin, on the back of that alone, does not deserve - ahem - 're-election', since he's put his lust for power above the more urgent, pressing, need to supply a DECENT living wage to his OWN people ... ??

Ah, but .... no doubt you'll say this is all 'Western lies', Balu ...

before you build a new apartment you have to install good doors and a secure lock, is it not clear?

[Papokarlo]

.

[Papokarlo]

Is there a point to be made here? Russians discussing China's politics?

What lettle message are you attempting to convey? Presidential terms of office are the internal business of each nation. I haven't noticed any one country asking what another thought of its Presidential term limits.

on Russian TV discusses a lot of interesting things, including the political life of China.

[Balu]

on Russian TV discusses a lot of interesting things, including the political life of China.

There is another remarkable thing - the participants of the talks on many Russian TV channels are from different countries: the USA, GB, Germany, France, Italy, Baltic Republics, Israel, ME, Turkey, Ukraine etc. They all are politicians, political analysts and journalists with their own views. So, there is a vast field for discussions.